No abstract available.
Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Rickettsia* ; Ulsan*

BACKGROUND: Heat shock proteins (HSPs), or stress proteins, are immunodominant antigens of many microorganisms. In this study, we have detected the anti-HSP 70 antibody and tried to explain the role of the antibody with respect to the pathogenesis of SLE. Furthermore, we have attempted to find out the possibility to link the presence of the autoantibody with the monitoring and diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: A total of 80 samples from 55 SLE patients were screened for the presence of anti-HSP 70 antibodies. Simultaneously 59 healthy people were tested as a control group. The anti-HSP 70 antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by western blot in anti-HSP 70 antibody ELISA positive samples. The activity of disease state was confirmed by the patients' medical record and systemic lupus activity measure (SLAM). RESULTS: The mean optical density (O.D.450) of ELISA in healthy controls and SLE patients were 0.15+/-0.18 (mean+/-S.D.) and 0.13+/-0.14. The correlation of SLAM Score and ELISA O.D. was r2=0.19, P=0.014. And, the mean O.D. value of ELISA was 0.18+/-0.02 and 0.11+/-0.01 before and after treatment (P <0.05). We compared samples with SLAM Score. The O.D. of anti-HSP 70 ELISA in these patients were 0.20+/-0.02 and 0.08+/-0.002 before and after treatment respectively (n=10, mean+/-S.D., P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Anti-HSP 70 antibody was not a clinically useful diagnostic marker in SLE patients. However, the titer of anti-HSP 70 antibody can be used for the monitoring of the therapeutic effectiveness in these patients.
Antibodies ; Blotting, Western ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans ; Immunodominant Epitopes ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Medical Records

Intracranial tuberculoma results from hematogenous spread of pulmonary, intestinal or urogenital tuberculosis. However, it might be caused by pulmonary tuberculosis, mainly. Clinically, symptoms of intracranial tuberculoma are headache and seizure, its symptoms are simillar to intracranial tumor. A 25-year-old-unmarried shopgirl was visited to this hospital because of headache, dizziness and visual disturbance for couple weeks in Sep. 1995. She had been treated with anti-tuberculosis agents of miliary tuberculosis during past nine months period. Brain MRI revealed intracranial tuberculoma and brain edema but not involved optic nerve. Ophthalmic examination revealed severe papilledema and splinter hemorrhage with bitemporal hemianopsis and central scotoma. This finding was strongly suggested of optic disc tuberculoma. Her symptoms became much better following repeated retrobulbar steroid injection with continuous anti-tuberculosis agents. We report a interesting case with intracranial tuberculoma and optic disc tuberculoma associated by miliary tuberculosis during anti-tuberculous treatment.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Hemorrhage ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Optic Nerve ; Papilledema ; Scotoma ; Seizures ; Tuberculoma* ; Tuberculoma, Intracranial* ; Tuberculosis, Miliary* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Tuberculosis, Urogenital

The percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is used for nutritional support in patients requiring prolonged tubal feeding. Unfortunately, numerous complications, such as infection, stomal leak, fever, local pain, ileus and tube occlusion, have been reported since its introduction. The buried bumper syndrome is a rare but well-recognized long-term complication. The tight anchorage between the internal and external bumpers leads to gastric mucosal erosion and embedding of the internal bumper into the gastric wall, obstructing feeding. Our case involves an elderly patient with a buried bumper syndrome complicated by an abdominal wall abscess. A similar case has not been reported in Korea before. This article reports our findings and management with a review of the literature.
Abdominal Wall ; Abscess ; Aged ; Fever ; Gastrostomy ; Humans ; Ileus ; Korea ; Nutritional Support

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic Ultrasonography (EUS) is widely used to diagnose upper gastrointestinal tract disease. In recent, it is reported that EUS is also goood diagnostic method to assess depth of invasion through rectal wall and lymph node involvement of rectal cancer. We performed EUS in preoperative rectal cancer patients and compared to post operative histologic findings to evaluate EUS diagnostic accuracy for rectal cancer staging system METHODS: 51 patients with rectal cancer were performed with EUS. They were diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy from August 1994 to June 1996 at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Their ages were 28 to 78 (mean: 55 years) and the male to female ratio was 2 : 1 (34/17). Olympus GF-UM3, EU-M3 EUS and 7.5/12 MHz transducer were utilized. EUS was performed by the deaerated water filling method. We have analyzed between preoperative EUS findings and postoperative biopsy findings in order to evaluate the accuracy of EUS. The accuracy of EUS was signified by percentage. RESULTS: 1) Endoscopic ultrasonographic accuracy for assessment of wall invasion of rectal cancer was as follows ; The accuracy of mucosal cancer was 50% (patient numbers of EUS diagnosis/patient numbers of histologic diagnosis: 2/4). Submucosal cancer was 100% (1/1). Muscularis propria cancer was 44% (4/9). The accuracy with penetration to subserosa (or perirectal fat tissue) was 97% (33/34). The accuracy with invasion to adjacent organ was 33% (1/3). The overall accuracy rate was 80% (41/51). 2) EUS accuracy of lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer was ; The sensitivity was 90% (patient numbers of EUS diagnosis/patient numbers of histologic diagnosis: 28/31). The specificity was 60% (12/20). 3) EUS diagnosis of modified Duke classification was ; The accuracy of A stage was 80% (patient numbers of EUS diagnosis/patient numbers of histologic dagnosis: 4/5). B1 stage was 60% (4/8). B2 stage was 33% (1/3). C1 stage was 0% (0/3). C2 stage was 86%(25/28). D stage was 33% (1/3). The overall accuracy rate was 69% (35/51). CONCLUSION: EUS is useful method to assess rectal cancer invasion through rectal wall and lymph node involvement. However, further refinements in instruments and the techniques is required for more improving diagnostic accuracy.
Biopsy ; Classification ; Diagnosis* ; Endosonography* ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transducers ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Water

PURPOSE: We have previously demonstrated that increased urethral resistance was more prominent in diabetic rats than in controls. This may result from a compressive obstruction such as damage of the urethral nerve containing nitric oxide. Another possible cause for urethral obstruction could be a constrictive obstruction such as a periurethral fibrosis. In the present study, we investigated the changes in the expression of nitric oxide synthase(NOS) isoforms(compressive obstruction) and collagen subtypes (constrictive obstruction) in the urethral tissues of non-insulin dependent diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats(18 diabetic rats and 18 control rats), bred from birth, were included in this study. Diabetes mellitus was induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin(90mg/kg) on the second day after birth. Urethral tissues were harvested at 12, 24 and 36 weeks after induction of diabetes and were stained for neuronal NOS(nNOS) and Masson trichrome. We also performed reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction or Western blot analysis to evaluate mRNA or protein expression of NOS isoforms and collagen subtypes in the urethral tissues. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis of nNOS revealed that the immunoreactivity and nNOS expression in the urethra was lower in the diabetic rats than in the controls. The Masson trichrome staining showed that there was urethral fibrosis in the diabetic rats. The mRNA or protein expression of collagen subtypes, especially type I collagen, were higher in the diabetic rat urethra than in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the increased urethral resistance in diabetic rats may be attributable to a decrease in the urethral nNOS expression and an increase in collagen content. Urethral dysfunction as well as a cystopathy may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes- induced voiding dysfunction. (Korean J Urol 2007;48:1050-1057)
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fibrosis* ; Humans ; Male ; Neurons ; Nitric Oxide Synthase* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Parturition ; Protein Isoforms ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA, Messenger ; Urethra* ; Urethral Obstruction

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of the phase II glutathione S-transferase mu (GSTM1), theta (GSTT1) gene null polymorphisms with endometriosis in a Korean population. METHODS: One hundred forty eight women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis of stage I-IV were recruited. And 130 patients with no evidence of endometriosis by laparoscopy or laparotomy served as controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and analyzed for GSTM1, GSTT1 null polymorphisms. RESULTS: GSTM1 null genotype (GSTM1 0/0) was found more frequently in patients with endometriosis than in controls (61.5% in endometriosis vs. 49.2% in control, p=0.040). And the association was found only in moderate to severe endometriosis (stage III IV) (63.7% vs. 49.2%, p=0.027: odds ratio: 1.812), not in minimal or mild endometriosis (p=0.395). There was no significant difference between endometriosis patients and controls in the frequency of the GSTT1 null genotype (51.4% vs. 54.6%, p>0.1). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that GSTM1 null genotype is associated with the risk of endometriosis but GSTT1 null genotype is not in the Korean population.
DNA ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Genotype ; Glutathione Transferase ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Odds Ratio

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of the estrogen receptor PvuII and XbaI polymorphism with endometriosis. METHODS: One hundred sixty women with surgically or histologically diagnosed endometriosis of stages I-IV, and 142 patients with no evidence of endometriosis by laparoscopy or laparotomy served as control. Frequency and distribution of PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms for estrogen receptor gene were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the allele distribution of PvuII polymorphism between the patients and the controls (pp of 35%, pP of 51%, PP of 14% vs. 42%, 44%, 15%, p>0.1); or in the frequency of the positive PvuII allele (0.61 vs. 0.63, p>0.1). And no significant difference was also observed in the allele distribution of XbaI polymorphism between the patients and the controls (xx of 66%, xX of 29%, XX of 5% vs. 68%, 30%, 1%, p>0.1); or in the frequency of the positive XbaI allele (0.80 vs. 0.83, p>0.1). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the PvuII or XbaI polymorphism of the estrogen receptor gene is not associated with the risk for endometriosis in the Korean population.
Alleles ; Endometriosis* ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy

PURPOSE: We aimed to translate the Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids (TRACK) instrument into Korean, with subsequent linguistic validation. METHODS: The multistep process of forward translation, reconciliation, back-translation, cognitive debriefing, and proofreading of the Korean version of the TRACK was completed. RESULTS: Two bilingual medical personnel independently translated the original English version of the TRACK into Korean one. After moderating the translation into a single reconciled one, 4 other bilingual persons were invited to translate the Korean draft back into an English one. Discrepancies between the original English version and the back-translated one were reviewed, and the need to modify the reconciled Korean draft was discussed. Twenty caregivers of asthmatic children took part in interviews that examine the appropriateness of the Korean version of the TRACK. The feedback from caregivers were then reviewed by a panel of pediatric allergists and reflected in the final Korean version. The document was finally proofread to check the spelling, grammar, layout and formatting. CONCLUSION: Translation and linguistic validation of the Korean version of the TRACK instrument were completed.
Asthma* ; Caregivers ; Child ; Humans ; Linguistics* ; Translations

PURPOSE: Adherence is a major component of successful medical treatment. However, non-adherence remains a barrier to effective delivery of healthcare worldwide. METHODS: Twenty healthcare facilities (secondary or tertiary hospitals) belonging to the Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Diseases (KAPARD) participated. Questionnaires were given to patients currently receiving treatment in the form of inhalant useor oral intake or transdermal patch for mild to moderate asthma. RESULTS: A total of 1,838 patients responded to the questionnaire. Mean age was 5.98 ± 3.79 years (range: 0-18 years). With help from their caregivers, the percentage of patients that answered “taking as prescribed” was 38.04% for inhalant users, 50.09% for oral medication users and 67.42% for transdermal users. Transdermal patch users had significantly greater adherence compared to the other 2 groups (P < 0.001). The 34.15% of inhalant users, 70.33% of oral medication users and 93.00% of transdermal patch users felt that their medication delivery system was “Easy” or “Very easy” to use (P < 0.001). “Method of administration” was deemed to be the most difficult part of the treatment regimen to follow, and 76.7% of patients preferred once-daily administration (i.e., “Frequency of administration”). CONCLUSIONS: Asthma medication adherence in young children was found to be better in the transdermal patch group. This may be due to requiring fewer doses and easy to follow instructions. From an adherence point of view, the transdermal patch seems more useful for long-term asthma control in children compared to oral or inhaled medicine.
Asthma ; Caregivers ; Child ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Medication Adherence ; Transdermal Patch